New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-24
MUSIO-THE DRAMA.
WERER,S "EURYANTHE.n

House last night, IS to the American stage The
representation OF the wonR twenty four years ago
under tho direction Of Carl Absolute, in Wallacks
Theatre at Broadway and Broomest., has no signh-
cameo In a discussion Of the relation which 1t bears
toward tho art asc and activities Of to-day and is
to be mentioned only I'm Difference to the integrity OF
history and as a tribute to tho zeal of tho German
musicians and amateurs Of that day. Tho work
IS one which II Is impossible to approach without
Affection but appreciation OF its beauties Is conditioned
upon the acceptance OF theories touching the purpose
and construction of the lyric drama which are only
now obtaining validity amongst u.s. Indeed there are
as poets Oh tho In which Euryanthe' with all It's
aniuonce Of melody and all It's potency Of romantic and
chvalric expression, is yet further removed from the
understanding and affections Of our public than the
dramas OF Wagner We must not deceive ourselves
concerning the meaning of the phenomena which We
have witnessed OF late. In Wagncr's works there Is
so much external splendOr much scenic emDelIIsh-
ment so much orchestral pomp so much mat Is at
ractivc TO sight and hearing, that delight In them may
exist Independently Of recognition OF their deeper
values. And Wagner's dramas are all admirable as
plays mastery in construction, edifying in their OK
hlbtion Of dramatic types. They present themselves
always as II with pride I'm their ability TO
stand tho closest scrutiny, for the principles of dra-
matte construction which they exempllfy have held
approval ever since the days Of Hschylus Webers
Euryanthc' comes before us in a different spirit
modestly conscious Of gevous dramatic defects and
pleading for pardon even while demanding with APP
proprlae dignity recognition for the soundness and
beauty Of the principles that undere its music and the
wondrous tenderness, sincerity and intensity Of IFS
expression Of passion When It first brought for
ward in Vienna in october. 1-23, Caselll, German
poet and llbreulst, observed that It was come fifty
years before It's time. lie spoke with the voice Of
prophecy. 1t not until the fifty years had ex
pred that EuryantheT really came into IT'S rights
and II was the light reflected upon It by the works Of
Wcbcr's great successor Dresden that disclosed in
what those rights consisted Now the critical voices 81
tho world arc agreed In pronouncing Euryanthc7 to
be- tho starting point Of Wagner, and the latiers
works grow in appreciation Euryanthe7 shines with
ever Increasing eulgcnce II IS Fortunate therefore,
that before the work which IT, creator some Of
his richest hearts blood presented to an American
audience for Judgment. that audience had opportun
tiles 10 acquire the knowledge and the spirit
sary To- an understanding Of IT, II was doubly fort
unatc that the day was delayed until artists were
found 10 whom the Interpretation labor OF love
40 work In the Metropolitan repertory has been pro
pared with greater patience, self sacrifice, zeal and
affection than Euryanthc7 and the spontaneous,
hearty and evidently sincere approval to which last
nights audience gave expression. must have been as
Incense to Herr seldl and The forces which lie
directed
Tho woes which Euryanthc7 has endured are all
due the book ~ the opera II would be delightful
Il ono might read write an estimate Of tho work
without being confronted by the spectre conurci up by
Helmlno Won Chezy's ncompctency but the most pious
Denomination TO this end IS Of avail. The dreadful
thing can bc exercised only By being confronted Tho
story underlying the play Is the d" Historic lie Gerard
de Ncvcs 81 do Ia belle ct yertucuSc Euryantc lie Sa-
voyc ME- which Hoccacco and Shakespeare {" Gym
bcno used before It fell into tho hands Of the Chezy
As II presents tself the stage the story Will not
take long ln tho telling uryanthc IS bcrothed To
Alolar who wagcrs his 'e and estates against those
Of y,art tho consistency Of her love and her fidelity
to her VOWS. Fooled in his wicked enterprise Lyslart
aided ~ Byzantine. hedevil who desires the ruin
Of Euryanthc moved by jealous love of Adolar.l OBJ
tains seeming proofs Of guilt and claims the
stakes. Confronted with the evidence Enry anthc IS
speeches. and Adolar Is convinced of her guilt He
leads her into drcary spot IN the mountains TO XII
her but spares her lie at sight OF her devotion when
he IS threatened by monstrous serpent Yet no
leaves her to die In the lonely place There She IS
found by the King while hunting expedition. and
TO him She gives the explanation which for a reason
that must remain unknown till chaos be again,
She neglected 10 givo her husband The King prom
10 restore Adoar but excess Of Joy throws
her into trance which IS mist aiken for death Adoar
returns to his estates. ard finding LySart about 10
marry Byzantine suspects them Of the plot 10 tratuce
his wife Being confirmed In his suspicious by some
Wild rawlings OF tne conscience STRICKEN Byzantine, he
draws against Iysart when the King appears with the
story Of Euryanihc's death Byzantine hoping yet To
win Adoar spurns Lysiart. who stabS her TO death
and Is himself i-d of to punishment as Fury anthc n"
covers AT onco consciousness and a husband. No
affection FOR Weber and his genius, no degree Of adj
mratou for the loneliness and tenderness with which
he has endowed his heroine can reconcile the libreto
with the most rudimcniary demands OF
reason and cohcrncy The attitude Of tho
hero and heroine to mystery which is outside tho
action and cannot be brought into sympathetic rcla
ionshp with the spectators. IS the real motive Of the
conduct Of Aiuar and Fury snthc AdoarS siStcr
Emma has killed herself by dnnkng poison from
ring through grief At the death Of her lover lido. The
crime OF self murder prevents her union with tdo
and her ghost the vault in which her body lies
there to be- at unrest until of innocent suffering
falling on the fatal ring accomplish cxplaon for the
crime The couHdng Of this secret TO Byzantine Il
Furyanthc's only wrong. the proof that seems So
damning to Adolar is more than tho ring stolen by
Fglantlue from Emma's tomb To give happiness to
ghost Lyslnt and Eglantinc act HE ncarnac hends
Euryantho refuses to speak when word would saNe
her and Adolar. while protesting his Willingness To
stake the world on her conStan'y' ac-
cepls the ring and Euryanthes confession that
She had broken her OF secrecy touching Emmas
death as proofs of her wantonncss What an idlotic
complication was here created by the prudiShne>s of
a German blue stocking In order TO avoid thahc-
sucare's simple rNpcdicnt the mole, rlnquc spot
ted an cxpcdicnt which instead If bringing IN immod
csty really SHOWS wilderness on lmogcn's pure thar
actcr.
All that can be donc to give cohcgcncy TO the book
has been done by Herr scdl the Metropolitan down
the restoration of Webcrs strange device Of rNhib
ting tablcau during the largo episode In the over
turo This device has been ignored In nearly all the
German opera houses. Given public with a pocti
cal Imagination and familiar with the music there
IS question that tho taucau is profoundly impress
svc Tho picture disclosed by the preliminary tlS-
Ing Of the curtain Is the interior of the tomb, with
Fury anhc IN prayer beside Emma's CONN. Weber
wished also to have Byzantine seen I'm the act
of playing tho spy over Enryanthc's actions
In accordance with purposes that have since be-
como obvious to all gent listeners tho music